client success stories

AND A SPORTS ARENA

THE CHALLENGE

Supplemental cooling system provides comfort and meets stringent NHL requirements to maintain ice quality during the season playoffs.

THE STORY

As excitement heats up in late-season National Hockey League (NHL) games, so does the South Florida weather. This increase in air temperatures, combined with rising humidity levels, poses a challenge for large arenas when a team is a playoff contender.

To meet the NHL’s strict building temperature, humidity level, and ice quality requirements, the facilities team knew a supplemental cooling system would be needed for the second round and subsequent playoff games.

“To provide the best playing surface for the games, the NHL requires ice temperature readings and humidity levels to stay within a certain threshold, around 65 degrees with 45 percent relative humidity and a dew point of 39-40. We know that if the Lightning advances to the second round of the playoffs, we will need supplemental cooling installed prior to the first home game. It’s something we plan for, and must be ready to deploy.” Said Steve Butler, Director of Facilities.

“Warm outside air coming in and ambient humidity during certain times of the year, like late-season when the team advances in the playoffs, can make the ice too soft,” Butler added.

HOW TPI SOLVED THE PROBLEM

In anticipation of a winning season, the professional sports arena took a proactive approach, sending out a request for bid for supplemental cooling during the second round and subsequent playoff games. The arena selected TPI Efficiency for the temporary supplemental cooling system project based on its ongoing successful service and maintenance relationship, as well as the company’s proposed turnkey rental solution.

Meeting specifications with a turnkey solution

Using their past experience working with the arena, our solutions engineers developed a solution that would provide 40K CFM desiccant dehumidification gear and two 200-ton air-cooler chiller/air handler combinations. The chiller/air handler combinations pre-cool 100 percent outside air, which is routed through desiccant dehumidifiers and then through another air handler before it is fed into the arena’s duct system.

The project’s scope also included lay-flat and spiral duct solutions, crane services to unload all rental equipment from delivery trailers to the designated locations, an electrician to connect the rental gear to house power, and a generator to run equipment on the southwest side of the building. As an insurance policy, TPI provided a qualified, onsite technician before and during all games when the rental equipment was in operation.

For aesthetics and safety, six-foot-high fencing with a privacy screen was installed to enclose the gear for the duration of the project. The temporary fencing provides clearance for pedestrian traffic on all sidewalks.

“The rental system provides us with flexibility. We close the outside intake and start running it the day before a game to pre-condition the air. To save costs, we shut the systems down when the team goes on the road,” said Butler.

The TPI Turnkey Solution included:

Flexible rental contract with extension option
40K CFM desiccant dehumidification gear
Two 200-ton chiller/air-handler combinations
Lay-flat and spiral duct solutions
Onsite technician

THE OUTCOME

Maintained comfort for players and fans
Met stringent NHL requirements
Provided quality ice for playoff games

TPI Efficiency provided a turnkey supplemental cooling system solution to address the needs of the large complex during late-season NHL second-round and subsequent playoff games. The rental system helped the facility maintain a comfortable environment for fans, players, and staff during the games. As a result of the rental equipment, the arena is meeting NHL standards as verified by air and ice quality measurements taken during each game.